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Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Priest recounts terror in Orissa

MUMBAI: "I was conducting a prayer meeting in Orissa's Makandapur village when more than 300 Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists arrived with lathis , swords, guns, spears and trishuls. They said they would kill us because we were Christians,'' said Fr Ashish Missale who fled the murderous mob to spend two days in wilderness. Recounting the ordeal to the media on Tuesday, Fr Missale said how one of the devotees was done to death right in front of his eyes. "They hit Mukund Bardhan on his head. They then flung him in the air and stabbed him. His cry still pierces my ears.'' Armed with slides-each of which depicts death and destruction in the villages of Orissa-Missale narrated how he, along with the other devotees, fled after the VHP attack. "Children were crying and we were all afraid. We didn't know what would happen to us,'' he said. They spent two days in fear and unsure of their safety. Fr Missale then reached his district headquarters where he was instructed to come to Mumbai. He arrived on Monday evening. Fr Missale now gets calls and SMSes from the VHP. "They say that if they see me, they will kill me on the spot.'' Filing an FIR in Orissa has become very difficult as the police are on the side of the perpetrators, Missale said. Fr Nabod Berdhan, another priest who fled from Orissa, said, "I want to go back and save lives as soon as possible .'' R B Sreekumar, former DGP of Gujarat police, who was also present at the press meet, said, "No communal violence can take place for more than an hour anywhere if the police act as they should. Mob actions are completely preventable offences. The government's inaction against the perpetrators of violence in Orissa in December 2007 has caused this violence.'' Outlining the future course of action , activist Teesta Setalvad said the need of the hour is relief and rehabilitation . "We demand a ban on the Bajrang Dal and the VHP and will begin a national campaign for the same,'' she said. A fact-finding report on the post-2007 violence is expected in 15 days. Activists hope to update the findings with fresh inputs after a visit scheduled next week. Joseph Dias, general secretary, Catholic Secular Forum, said the silence of the BJP, RSS and the VHP in not condemning the attacks speaks for itself. Churches of Mumbai will hold a prayer rally at Azad Maidan at 3 pm on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Fr Bernard Digal, who suffered multiple injuries after being attacked, was brought to Mumbai for treatment. He is presently in the ICU of a city hospital.